Care 'will take up most of our council tax within three years': Rapid rise in costs could see fresh curbs on bin rounds, road repairs and street lighting

Most of our council tax will be needed to pay for the care of vulnerable children and the elderly within three years, councils declared yesterday.

They said the rapidly rising price of social care will mean fresh curbs on bin collections, road repairs, street lighting, buses and food safety checks.

The warning about the cost of care for the elderly and protection of children at risk was designed to pile pressure on Chancellor Philip Hammond in advance of the autumn budget. It follows a series of attempts by public sector leaders, including police chiefs and NHS managers, to extract more cash from the Chancellor.